Baseline characteristics of the study cohort
| Total (n=259) |
Malignant (n=40) |
Benign (n=219) |
p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sex | 0.419 | |||
| Women | 201 (77.61%) | 33 (82.5%) | 168 (76.71%) | |
| Men | 58 (22.39%) | 7 (17.5%) | 51 (23.29%) | |
| Age (years) | 50.59±13.26 | 47±14.86 | 51.24±12.87 | 0.063 |
| Nodule size (mm) | 23.24±11.92 | 14.8±6.82 | 24.78±12.01 | <0.001 |
| US features | ||||
| Composition | 0.001 | |||
| Solid | 167 (64.48%) | 36 (90%) | 131 (59.82%) | |
| Predominantly solid | 72 (27.8%) | 4 (10%) | 68 (31.05%) | |
| Predominantly cystic | 20 (7.72%) | 0 (0%) | 20 (9.13%) | |
| Echogenicity | <0.001 | |||
| Hyperechoic or isoechoic | 151 (58.3%) | 3 (7.5%) | 148 (67.58%) | |
| Hypoechoic | 103 (39.77%) | 33 (82.5%) | 70 (31.96%) | |
| Marked hypoechoic | 5 (1.93%) | 4 (10%) | 1 (0.46%) | |
| Margin | <0.001 | |||
| Well-defined | 215 (83.01%) | 13 (32.5%) | 202 (92.24%) | |
| Microlobulated or irregular | 44 (16.99%) | 27 (67.5%) | 17 (7.76%) | |
| Calcification | <0.001 | |||
| Negative | 190 (73.36%) | 14 (35%) | 176 (80.37%) | |
| Macrocalcifications | 31 (11.97%) | 3 (7.5%) | 28 (12.79%) | |
| Eggshell calcifications | 7 (2.7%) | 1 (2.5%) | 6 (2.74%) | |
| Microcalcifications | 31 (11.97%) | 22 (55%) | 9 (4.11%) | |
| Shape | <0.001 | |||
| Parallel | 238 (91.9%) | 26 (65%) | 212 (96.8%) | |
| Non-parallel | 21 (8.1%) | 14 (35%) | 7 (3.2%) |